confirm

verb

kən-ˈfərm How to pronounce confirm (audio)
Definition of confirmnext
1
as in to verify
to give evidence or testimony to the truth or factualness of several eyewitnesses who can confirm the defendant's account of what happened

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to approve
to give official acceptance of as satisfactory the senate must confirm an appointment to an ambassadorship

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb confirm contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of confirm are authenticate, corroborate, substantiate, validate, and verify. While all these words mean "to attest to the truth or validity of something," confirm implies the removing of doubts by an authoritative statement or indisputable fact.

confirmed the reports

When is authenticate a more appropriate choice than confirm?

While the synonyms authenticate and confirm are close in meaning, authenticate implies establishing genuineness by adducing legal or official documents or expert opinion.

handwriting experts authenticated the diaries

When is it sensible to use corroborate instead of confirm?

While in some cases nearly identical to confirm, corroborate suggests the strengthening of what is already partly established.

witnesses corroborated his story

When could substantiate be used to replace confirm?

The synonyms substantiate and confirm are sometimes interchangeable, but substantiate implies the offering of evidence that sustains the contention.

the claims have yet to be substantiated

In what contexts can validate take the place of confirm?

The meanings of validate and confirm largely overlap; however, validate implies establishing validity by authoritative affirmation or by factual proof.

validated the hypothesis by experiments

When would verify be a good substitute for confirm?

In some situations, the words verify and confirm are roughly equivalent. However, verify implies the establishing of correspondence of actual facts or details with those proposed or guessed at.

all statements of fact in the article have been verified

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of confirm Monday is the traditional off day for Broadway, and Cannes confirmed both Washington and Lee will attend the Highest 2 Lowest premiere. —Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025 If confirmed by the Senate, Howery would lead US discussions to acquire Greenland. —Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 10 Apr. 2025 Rumors of a split began in 2019, with the pair denying such in April of that year, but later confirming their broken engagement. —Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 10 Apr. 2025 This will confirm that the work authorization is extended until October 2026. —Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for confirm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confirm
  1. verify
  2. approve
  3. argue
  4. ratify
  5. finalize
  6. accept
Verb
  • But now, the SSA is changing that policy, which a White House official told CBS MoneyWatch is due to the rollout of anti-fraud software that will be able to identify anomalies and flag potential fraud when people verify their identities over the phones.
    — Anne Marie Drummond Lee, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Applicants must personally provide, at minimum, documents that verify their full legal names, birthdays, Social Security numbers, legal residence and lawful status.
    — Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of verify
Verb
  • But to her disappointment, only three Miami applicants were approved.
    — Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2025
  • To date, the Food and Drug Administration has only approved one CBD product, a prescription oil called Epidiolex, which is used to treat seizures.
    — Greta Cross, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of approve
Verb
  • The anti-Amendment 4 website hosted by the Agency for Health Care Administration led to court challenges from people who argued the state was improperly using its official power, including one case in front of the Florida Supreme Court.
    — Ana Ceballos, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2025
  • At the start of proceedings, prosecutors presented their case by arguing Yoon lacked the legal grounds to declare martial law and accused him of trying to paralyse state institutions such as parliament.
    — Joyce Lee, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of argue
Verb
  • Israel's Netanyahu to visit Hungary, defying International Criminal Court arrest warrant Hungary signed the ICC's founding document in 1999 and ratified it in 2001, but the law has not been promulgated.
    — Reuters, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Tariffs made up around 50% of revenue for much of the late 1800s and early 1900s, including during the McKinley administration, until the 16th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1913, gave the federal government power to collect income tax.
    — Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of ratify
Verb
  • The week before the draft usually brings additional information as teams begin to finalize their draft boards, whether through prospect visits or more information leaking out.
    — Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Cleveland, much like Boston and Oklahoma City before them, finalized their season sweep against the Knicks.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 12 Apr. 2025
Definition of finalize
Verb
  • Ja-young not only realizes what’s going on but accepts her grandson’s decision, becoming a reluctant ally in the charade.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Cash only: The Desert Bar doesn't accept credit or debit cards.
    — Tiffany Acosta, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of accept

Browse Nearby Words

confining
confirm
confirmable
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Cite this Entry

“Confirm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confirm. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of confirm for Spanish Speakers

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